Ultra Fast Backup (UFB) track concept and method for recording same

ABSTRACT

A recording/playback recording medium comprising an elongated, flexible recording/playback medium having a predetermined width and a predetermined length, together defining a recording/playback area capable of providing a plurality of elongated recording/playback tracks; and information located on at least two tracks, a first track being recorded from the beginning of the first track in a first direction until the track is filled, a second track being recorded in a second opposite direction, the tracks being partitioned to define sectors having identifiable locations, the first, second, and subsequent tracks if necessary being recorded in a serpentine manner, the information recorded on the tracks being recorded by a helical scan.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to the subject matter of U.S. patentapplication No. 10/______, directed to a linear sliding scanner used toachieve the high-density recording pattern on the ultra fast backuprecording medium according to this disclosure, and U.S. patentapplication No. 10/______, directed to a spool cartridge for operativelyhousing the ultra fast backup recording medium recorded in the mannerpresented in this disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to a recording medium, such as a tape,and preferably an Advanced Intelligent Tape (“AIT”), for use in an UltraFast Backup (“UFB”) format in a fast access data storage system. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus forrecording on a recording medium using a helical scan track write/readtechnique with a serpentine track pattern to increase the data capacitytoward one Terabyte. Still more particularly, this invention relates toa linear sliding scanner with a read/write head stack for performing thehelical scan serpentine recording and a method for using the same.Finally, this invention relates to a UFB offset spool cartridge foroperatively housing the UFB format recording medium according to thepresent invention, and a method for loading the same into a tape driveapparatus.

2. Brief Discussion of the Related Art

Currently-available high density recording technology provideshigh-density, large capacity recording in 8 mm cartridges that are muchsmaller than other data cartridge formats. AIT cartridges are availablethat feature a built-in flash memory chip, such as a remote,non-contact, Memory in Cassette (“MIC”) system, for providing keyinformation directed to a drive for the cartridge. Prior efforts by theassignees of this invention have expanded use of the AIT cartridge withthe MIC chip to improve reliability, error prediction, and performancein recording and retrieving data on partitioned tape. An example of theuse of MIC technology is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,611,394. AssociatedMIC hardware includes a multi-pin interface to the drive or otherexternal connection to store and retrieve selected information directlyfrom the chip to provide real time customer applications.

MIC information consists of data written at the time of cartridgemanufacture when the media is first loaded into an AIT drive, portionsof the media updated as a part of a recording sequence, and portions ofthe media that can be written directly by a user's application. A netresult is improved access to data when used in conjunction with tapepartitioning, reducing, for example, access time up to 50 percent ascompared to conventional methods. U.S. Pat. No. 6,674,596, U.S. Pat. No.6,624,959, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,301,067 are examples of the use of asolid-state memory control of partitioned tape so that it is notnecessary to rewind a tape to the beginning when it is desired to recordnew data.

A current version of AIT cartridges, known as the AIT-3 (a trademark ofSony) is able to hold 100 GB native and up to 260 GB of compressed data,due in part to a use of helical scan recording technology.

Advanced Metal Evaporated (“AME”) is a tape formulation used in AITinstallations. Its key characteristics include a 100% pure cobaltmagnetic layer design, the absence of binder material to prevent tapehead contamination, and a Diamond Like Carbon (“DLC”) protective coatingfor extreme durability. AME also permits very high-density magneticrecording, thereby allowing the AIT family roadmap to reach largecapacity levels.

It remains, however, an overall aim in the art to improve recordingcapability, such as from 100 GB to a target of 1 Terabyte, a 10 foldincrease, building on the technology discussed above, and to increasethe speed of access and retrieval of data.

Efforts are known that propose the use of serpentine recording patterns,such as in the multi-track recording technique discussed in U.S. Pat.No. 6,154,334 to Pine, as a time-saving traversal pattern. However, thatserpentine traverse has not been previously used in conjunction withhelical scanning techniques on flexible recording media.

It is an additional problem in this technology to provide a helical scanrecording/playback device capable of achieving a serpentine traverse ofthe recording media, particularly when the recording media is a flexiblemedia such as a recording tape.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Directed to achieving the foregoing objectives of the invention, andimproving a data cartridge according to the prior art, this inventionrelates to a recording medium, such as an elongated tape and preferablyan AME tape, for a cartridge, preferably an AIT cartridge. The recordingmedium has a plurality of elongated tracks parallel to a center track ofthe medium on opposite sides wherein the tracks are respectively odd andeven numbered. In the tape, a plurality of partitions are formed so thata retrievable address for stored data can be easily located, preferablyby use of an MIC chip. Recorded data on the tape is recorded by ahelical scan on a track in a serpentine fashion, i.e. a scan of a “0”track in a first direction from the beginning of the tape to the end ofthe tape, a scan of a “1” track in an opposite direction, a scan of a“2” track again in the first direction, a scan of a “3” track again inthe opposite direction, and so forth.

A feature of the invention relates to a linear scanning membersupporting at least one recording/playback head stack, with ascanner/drum assembly for achieving the helical scan and serpentinerecorded configurations on the tape. The linear sliding scanner is bestseen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, while the recording function is shown in FIGS.2A, 2B, and 2C utilizing the linear sliding scanner for recording on thetape.

Another feature of the invention relates to a recording/playbackrecording medium, comprising an elongated, flexible recording/playbackmedium having a predetermined width and a predetermined length, togetherdefining a recording/playback area capable of providing a plurality ofelongated recording/playback tracks. Information is located on at leasttwo tracks, a first track being recorded from the beginning of the firsttrack in a first direction until the track is filled, the second trackbeing recorded in a second opposite direction, the tracks beingpartitioned to define sectors having identifiable locations. The first,second, and subsequent tracks if necessary are recorded in a serpentinemanner, and the information recorded on the tracks is recorded by ascanner/drum assembly using a helical scan technique.

The first track is located at about the longitudinal center of theflexible medium, the second track is located toward a first odd side ofthe first track, a third track is located on a side opposite the firsttrack toward a second even side of the first track, and so forth for atotal number of tracks in the area. A remote MIC chip is provided foridentifying sectors on the flexible medium for addressing data forrecording and/or playback.

According to another feature of the invention, means are provided forrecording on selected tracks of the medium, the recording meansincluding a recording/playback head stack and means for incrementing thehead stack relative to a preselected recording track on the flexiblerecording medium. Means are also provided for recording/playback ofhelical scan signals on the preselected recording track. Still further,means capable of recording/playback on any track between edges of theflexible recording medium are also provided

Another feature of the invention relates to a linear sliding apparatusand a scanner/drum assembly, the linear sliding apparatus being capableof linearly sliding transversely relative to the flexible recordingmedium. The scanner/drum assembly is capable of helical recording on apreselected track. A first motive means for incrementing thescanner/drum assembly relative to the preselected track, and a secondmotive means are included for driving the scanner/drum assembly forrecording and/or playback.

Another feature of the invention relates to a method of recordinginformation on a recording/playback medium, comprising the steps ofproviding an elongated flexible recording/playback medium having apredetermined width and a predetermined length together defining arecording/playback area having a plurality of tracks; recordinginformation on at least two tracks in the area, including the steps ofrecording on a first track from a beginning of the tape end to an end ofthe tape in a first direction, and recording on a second track from anend of the tape toward the beginning of the tape in a second, oppositedirection, the tracks being partitioned to define sectors havingidentifiable locations. The recording/playback further includes a stepof helical scan recording on preselected tracks. Still further, themethod includes a step of selecting an address of the identifiablelocations using a remote MIC chip. Another feature of the methodincludes additional steps of helical scan recording in an additionalplurality of tracks on the flexible recording medium in a serpentinemanner.

Another feature of the present invention relates to an apparatus forhelical scan recording/playback from preselected tacks on a flexibletape medium, comprising a linear slide structure capable of movementtransversely relative to a longitudinal direction of the tape medium,the linear slide structure including a scanner/drum capable of slidingmovement relative to a longitudinal direction of the tape medium betweenopposed edges of the tape medium defining a recording area, thescanner/drum having a head stack for helical scan recording/playback ofthe preselected tracks; and a stepper motor on a trolley end of thelinear slide structure for causing the scanner/drum to slidetransversely relative to the longitudinal direction of the tape medium.

The linear slide is preferably structured so that the scanner/drum isable to traverse the tape medium longitudinally between the opposededges. In addition, the head stack of the scanner/drum preferably scansthe tape medium housed in a UFB cartridge having main tape guides thatlock upon loading into main tape guide locators provided in the base ofthe linear slide structure; and the UFB cartridge further includes slanttape guides for guiding the tape between spools that are offset tocompensate for a helical scan wrap angle in the UFB cartridge. The UFBcartridge may also include a remote MIC located in an upper portion ofthe UFB cartridge adapted to store address locations of files on thetape medium. This MIC may also store data for operation in an AIT format

Another feature relates to a method of using a linear slide scanner toperform helical scan serpentine recording/playback of select tacks on aflexible tape medium, comprising the steps of bringing a scanner/drumassembly of the linear sliding scanner device into contact with theflexible tape medium; advancing the flexible tape medium in either aforward or a reverse direction; advancing the linear sliding scanner ina linear direction transverse to the direction of travel of the flexibletape medium; and rotating a recording/playback head stack of thescanner/drum assembly to perform, in conjunction with the forward orreverse direction of travel of the flexible tape medium and the linearmovement of the linear sliding scanner, helical scan serpentinerecording/playback of the select tracks of the flexible tape medium.This method may additionally include a step of selecting an address ofthe select tracks using a remote MIC chip.

According to this method, the linear sliding scanner is preferablyadvanced in the linear direction via a stepper motor and therecording/playback head stack is rotated via a scanner motor. Thestepper motor and the scanner motor are additionally preferablycontrolled by a tracking servo.

Yet another feature of the invention relates to a cartridge foroperatively housing a recording/playback medium, comprising a firstspool and a second spool located at offset positions inside a cartridgeshell body; a recording/playback medium of a fixed width and lengthwound around the first and second spools; and a plurality of slant tapeguides positioned between the first and second spools for guiding therecording/playback medium and for creating a helical scan tape wrapangle in connection with a plurality of main tape guides, the pluralityof main tape guides being positioned between the first and secondspools; wherein the cartridge shell body comprises: a plurality of pullout arm assemblies serving as enclosure doors for a bottom surface ofthe cartridge shell body, the pull out arm assemblies further serving assemicircular side walls of the cartridge shell body; a top plate; andopposing end plates formed perpendicular to the pull out arm assembliesand the top plate.

Preferably, semicircular portions of the pull out arm assemblies areformed around the spools so as to be rotatable, such that when thesemicircular portions of the pull out arm assemblies are rotated aroundthe spools, flat portions of the pull out arm assemblies serving as thebottom surface of the cartridge shell body rotate to expose therecording/playback medium. A shutter is additionally preferably formedin a bottom portion of each opposing end plate, the top portion of theshutter being hingedly attached to each opposing end plate so as to bepivotably opened to define an opening in each opposing end plateslightly larger in width than a width of a linear sliding scanner deviceused for helical scan recording/playback of the recording/playbackmedium.

Circular spool hubs are formed on one end of each spool so as to beaccessible via an opening defined in one of the opposing end plates, thespool hubs containing receiving portions for receiving drive reel tablesof a recording/playback apparatus for transversely advancing therecording/playback medium in a forward and a reverse direction.

A remote MIC is additionally preferably located within the cartridgeshell body for identifying sectors on the recording/playback medium forrecording and/or playback.

Main tape guides and slant tape guides are preferably formed internallywithin the cartridge shell body.

Yet another feature of the invention relates to a method for performinga loading and a recording/playback operation on a cartridge operativelyhousing a recording/playback medium, comprising the steps of insertingthe cartridge into a tape drive apparatus; rotating pull out armassemblies serving as a bottom surface of the cartridge via a firstmotive means contained within the tape drive apparatus, thereby exposinga recording/playback medium wrapped around a pair of spools enclosedwithin the cartridge; pivotably opening shutters formed in a bottomportion of opposing end plates of the cartridge via a second motivemeans contained within the tape drive apparatus to define an opening ineach opposing end plate slightly larger in width than a width of alinear sliding scanner device used for recording/playback of selecttracks of the recording/playback medium; after the pull out armassemblies have rotated fully and the shutters have opened fully,inserting and locking a plurality of main tape guides located within thecartridge into a corresponding plurality of main tape guide locatorsprovided in a base portion of the linear sliding scanner device via athird motive means contained within the tape drive apparatus, theplurality of main tape guides used in conjunction with a plurality ofslant tape guides and a pair of spools to create a helical scan tapewrap angle for helical scanning of the recording/playback medium; andbringing a scanner/drum assembly of the linear sliding scanner deviceinto contact with the exposed recording/playback medium via the thirdmotive means to allow the scanner/drum assembly to perform helical scanrecording/playback of the select tracks of the recording/playbackmedium.

This method additionally preferably provides steps for transverselyadvancing the recording/playback medium via a tape drive motor providedin the tape drive apparatus and attached to drive reel tables insertedinto spool hubs of the spools in either a forward or a reversedirection; advancing the linear sliding scanner device via a steppermotor in a linear direction transverse to the direction of travel of therecording/playback medium; and rotating a recording/playback head stackof the scanner/drum assembly via a scanner motor to perform, inconjunction with the linear movement of the linear sliding scannerdevice, helical scan serpentine recording/playback of the select tracksof the recording/playback medium. A remote MIC chip located within thecartridge may also preferably be used to identify sectors on therecording/playback medium for recording and/or playback. The tape drivemotor, stepper motor, and scanner motor may also be controlled by atracking servo.

These and other features of the invention will become more apparent froma review of the detailed description of the drawings and the writtendescription that follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a tape showing the helical scan pattern on eachlongitudinal track, and a serpentine pattern for a plurality of tracks,according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a scanner for recording/playback of the tape ofFIG. 1, wherein FIG. 2A is a first longitudinal scan at a track position“0”; FIG. 2B is a depiction of a longitudinal scan at a maximum oddposition near a first side of the tape; and FIG. 2C is a depiction of alongitudinal scan at a maximum even position near a second, oppositeside of the tape.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a linear slide device with a scanner/drumassembly for achieving the recording/playback patterns shown in FIGS. 1and 2.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the linear slide device and scanner/drumassembly of FIG. 3 showing a tape guide datum position.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged end view of the linear slide device of FIG. 3showing in diagrammatic form the essential components of the structurefor achieving the linear sliding needed for both helical scanning andserpentine tracking.

FIG. 6A is a top view of a UFB offset spool cartridge concept forhousing the helical serpentine scanned tape according to the presentinvention; and FIG. 6B is a bottom view of the spool cartridge.

FIG. 7A is a diagrammatic end view of the UFB offset spool cartridge ofFIGS. 6A-6B showing the essential components of the spool cartridgeneeded for housing and guiding the tape according to the presentinvention; FIG. 7B is a front end view of the UFB offset spool cartridgeof FIGS. 6A-6B; and FIG. 7C is a rear end view of the UFB offset spoolcartridge of FIGS. 6A-6B.

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic top view of the UFB offset spool cartridgeshowing its shutter closed and positioned above the linear scanningassembly of FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic top view of the UFB offset spool cartridgeshowing its shutter open to receive the linear scanning assembly of FIG.5 for recording/playback of the tape.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a recording/playback format on a tape, shown generally bythe reference numeral 10, to provide a continuing alternating serpentinepattern for a plurality of recording tracks 12 suitable for helical scanrecording/playback. This format was developed as a fast access datastorage system that may be used for any data storage application using arecording medium such as a tape, CD, or disc. The UFB format, showngenerally in FIG. 1, thus utilizes “helical scan” track write/readprinciples combined with a “serpentine” track pattern. Thus, therelatively short length of the tape and the novel Linear Sliding Scannerdrive arrangement, shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, enables fast access to anyphysical location on the recording/playback media, such as the tape 10.For example, the tape 10 may be separated into a plurality of recordingtracks 12 longitudinally adjacent one another, identified for access by,for example, use of a remote, or non-contact MIC chip to allow for filelocation and cartridge history information to be accessed quickly.

The tape 10 in FIG. 1 has a length 16 extending between a beginning oftape (“BOT”) end 18, and an end of tape (“EOT”) end 20. For convenience,the length 16 will be considered the effective recordable length,recognizing that the BOT end 18 and the EOT end 20 may also include tapelead and tape exit sections (not shown). The tape width 22 is definedtransversely by an odd side edge 19 and an even side edge 21. Forconvenience, the odd side edge 19 is at an odd track side of thelongitudinal center 25 of the tape, while the even side edge 21 is at aneven track side of the longitudinal center of the tape.

A first recording track 24 is at the longitudinal center 25 of the tape10. A plurality of tracks, denominated “Track 01”, “Track 03” and soforth are on the odd track side of the tape 10 between the longitudinalcenter 25 of the tape and the odd side edge 19 of the tape. A “Max OddTrack” 26 is located adjacent the odd side edge 19 of the tape at aconvenient distance to permit recording in the track without traversingthe odd side edge 19 during recording/playback.

Similarly, a plurality of even tracks, denominated “Track 02” and soforth, are located between the longitudinal center 25 of the tape 10 andthe even side edge 21. A “Max Even Track” 27 is located adjacent theeven side edge 21 at a convenient distance to permit recording withtraversing the even side edge 21.

A typical tape 10 has a preferable length of 100 meters, with a 12.75cm. wide media and with a plurality of 6 mm. wide recording track bands,thus to provide a target data capacity of 1 Terabyte, at least a 10 foldincrease of recording capacity for a tape of the type contemplated. Itmay be noted, however, that the track width and the total number oftracks are not fixed at this time, so that the representative numbersstated are those currently contemplated.

The longitudinally extending recording tracks 12 are recorded usinghelical scan techniques, well known to the art of recording and digitalrecording. A serpentine recording pattern is preferred, so that a novelcombination of “helical scan” and “serpentine” track patterns isutilized. Preferably, the serpentine track pattern begins at Track 0 atthe longitudinal center of the tape 10 at its BOT end, along aright-to-left direction until the EOT end is reached. As the recordingapproaches the EOT end, recording will stop, and the tape 10 willreverse direction and the linear sliding scanner 30 containing therecording/playback head stack 39 will shift a distance of one tracktoward the odd side edge 19, thus to permit another track, e.g. Track01, to be recorded with a helical signal. Recording of Track 01 will bein a direction that is a reverse of Track 0, i.e. from the EOT end tothe BOT end. Upon approaching the BOT end, the linear sliding scanner 30will shift toward the rear of the drive that is toward the even sideedge 21, to allow another band of tracks to be recorded. The processdescribed may continue until the usable surface of the media is fullyutilized, as shown in FIG. 1. Thus, as demonstrated in FIGS. 2A-2C, thelinear sliding scanner 30 is able to linearly traverse among positionsranging from the maximum odd position near a first side of the tape,shown in FIG. 2B, to the maximum even position near a second, oppositeside of the tape 10, show in FIG. 2C.

If recording is complete at a position intermediate the ends of thetape, at an identified sector, when recording is resumed, it will belocated at a position adjacent the identified sector, and in a directionthat was in process at the time recording was terminated. For example, arecording of Track 02 may terminate at a position such as Track 02A (notshown) formed while recording in a right to left matter, i.e. from theBOT end to the EOT end. When recording resumes, the recording of Track02 may continue in the same right to left manner from the same position,i.e. Track 02A.

Another feature of the present invention relates to a linear slidingscanner 30, capable of sliding beneath the tape 10, and supporting atleast one recording/playback head stack 39 with a scanner/drum assembly40 for achieving the helical scan, serpentine recorded configurationsdescribed above on the tape 10. The linear sliding scanner 30 is bestseen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, while the recording function is shown in FIGS.2A, 2B, and 2C utilizing the linear sliding scanner 30 for recording onthe tape 10.

Turning first to the structure of the linear sliding scanner 30, seen inFIGS. 3-5, this scanner 30 includes a casing having a right side wall 31and an opposed left side wall 32, respectively closed at their ends byend members 33 and 34. The casing as described defines a linear slidedistance 42 intermediate its ends 33, 34, to permit the scanner/drumassembly 40 with its recording/playback head stack 39 to traverse amonga first location shown in FIG. 2A, and respective locations shown inFIGS. 2B and 2C, to perform recording on the tape or flexible media. Thelinear sliding scanner 30 and the scanner/drum assembly 40 arepreferably formed to have approximately 28 cm. of media contact length.

The scanner/drum assembly 40 of the linear sliding scanner 30 as shownin FIG. 3 is responsive to a stepper motor 35 for causing thescanner/drum 40 and stack head 39 to respectively traverse selectedtracks in the serpentine pattern described. The stepper motor 35, whichis in operative rotatable connection with the base of the linear slidingscanner 30 via bearings 43, drives a lead screw 36 connected to an endtrolley 37, while another opposed end trolley 41 is connected to thelead screw 36 at the opposed end mating with the end member 33. Thestepper motor 35 is controlled by a tracking servo (not shown)cooperating with an MIC chip to determine stepping locations for thehead stack 39 relative to the tape 10, as generally seen in FIGS. 2A,2B, and 2C. Tape guide datums 45 are additionally provided in the baseunit of the linear slide scanner 30 to help in guiding and positioningthe tape 10 during recording/playback.

By the use of the stepper motor 35, the head stack 39 is positionedrelative to a selected track on the tape 10, and its location isverified by the use of a memory cooperating with the MIC chip. When thehead stack 39 is appropriately positioned relative to a selected trackby the stepper motor 35 in the above-described manner, helical scanningoccurs in that track to the extent the track is traversed generallyorthogonally relative to the linear sliding scanner 30. Thus, as bestseen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the stepper motor 35 results in causing thescanner/drum 40 to move transversely relative to the tape 10 for helicalscan recording.

More specifically, the linear sliding scanner 30 has an ability totransversely slide beneath the tape 10, allowing the tape 10 to freelypass above the scanner/drum assembly 40 during the helical scan. To thatend, air may be injected through the drum surface to provide an air filmto assist in media movement over the scanner/drum assembly 40 and headstack 39.

Once the head stack 39 has been appropriately positioned relative to aselected track by the stepper motor 35 in the above-described manner, ascanner motor 38 initiates helical scanning of the recording/playbackhead stack 39. A feature of the invention is that, to controleccentricity of the drum unit 40, only the recording/playback head stack39 is caused to rotate. As described above, air may be injected throughthe drum surface to provide an air film to assist in media movement overthe rotating head stack 39.

Together, the lead screws 36, end trolleys 37, 41, and the scanner/drum40 with the recording/playback head stack 39 responsive to the steppermotor 35 and scanner motor 38 define a linear sliding scanner 30 foraccurately traversing the tape 10 for incremental, serpentine helicalrecording and/or playback as has been described.

A UFB offset spool cartridge concept will now be described withreference to FIGS. 6A-6B, 7A-7C and 8. As seen in FIG. 6A, a UFB spoolcartridge 50 includes a cartridge shell body 52 having openings forhousing and mounting a spool 55 at a location 61, and for housing andmounting a spool 56 at a location 62. The cartridge shell body 52 isdefined by a top plate 70, two pull out arm assemblies 71, 72 serving asenclosure doors for a bottom surface of the spool cartridge 50 andfurther serving as semicircular right and left side walls, respectivelyclosed at their ends by opposing end plates 57. When the spool cartridge50 is in a closed shutter position 82, as demonstrated in previous FIG.6B, the edges of the pull out arm assemblies 71, 72 meet atapproximately the longitudinal center of the cartridge shell body 52 toeffectively form the bottom surface of the cartridge shell body 52.However, when the spool cartridge 50 is in an open shutter position 84,as shown in FIG. 9, the pull out arm assemblies 71, 72 rotate around thespools 55, 56, respectively, to expose the tape 10 to the linear slidingscanner 30 for helical scanning.

Slant guides 66 and 68 are internally provided in the cartridge body 52for guiding the tape 10 through a helical scan tape wrap angle, shown inFIG. 6A, relative to internally-provided main tape guides 67 and 69. Infact, the UFB spool cartridge 50 is preferably designed so as toincorporate all tape guides internally, thereby simplifying the overalldesign of the spool cartridge 50.

In addition, as best seen in the top view of FIG. 6A, the spools 55 and56 are offset from one another to compensate for the helical scan tapewrap angle created by the slant guides 66, 68 and main tape guides 67,69. A remote or non-contact MIC chip 78 is attached to the bottomsurface of the top plate 70 of the cartridge shell body 52 foridentifying and/or locating sectors on the tape 10 for recording and/orplayback in the previously-described helical serpentine manner.

As seen in FIG. 7C, exposed spool hubs 80, 81 of the spools 55, 56,respectively, are provided in the rear end plate of the cartridge shellbody 52. When the UFB spool cartridge 50 is loaded into a UFBrecording/playback apparatus (not shown) for recording and/or playback,drive reel tables (not shown) of the UFB recording/playback apparatusare inserted into the exposed spool hubs 80, 81 and are controlled by atracking servo (not shown) to drive the spool hubs 80, 81 and the spools55, 56 connected thereto in a clockwise or counter-clockwise manner,thereby rotationally advancing the tape 10 in either a forward direction(from the BOT 18 to the EOT 20) or a reverse direction (from the EOT 20to the BOT 18). Driving the tape 10 via the drive reel tables in thismanner eliminates the need for conventional capstan and pinch rollerassemblies, further simplifying the overall design of the offsetcartridge 50.

Shutters 63, 64, seen in FIGS. 6A-6B, 7B-7C, 8 and 9, being slightlylarger in width than that of the linear sliding scanner 30, are providedin the bottom center portion of each end plate 57. These shutters 63, 64are fastened to the end plates 57 in any number of ways conventional inthe art of fastening, including via elastomeric means, hinge means, etc.When the shutters 63, 64 are in a closed shutter position 82, as seen inFIG. 8, the shutters 63, 64 function to continuously form a portion ofeach end plate 57. However, when the shutters 63, 64 are brought into anopen position during an opening/loading operation, seen in FIG. 9, anopening in the end plates 63, 64 slightly larger in width than that ofthe linear sliding scanner 30 is defined, thereby allowing the body ofthe linear sliding scanner 30 to be inserted inside the body of the UFBspool cartridge 50.

An opening/loading operation of the spool cartridge 50 will now bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 8-9. Once the UFB spool cartridge 50has been inserted into a UFB recording/playback apparatus (not shown), adrive motor apparatus (not shown) within the UFB recording/playbackapparatus brings loading arms of the apparatus (not shown) intooperative contact with the pull out arm assemblies 71, 72 and theshutters 63, 64 of the spool cartridge 50. Once in operative contact,the loading arms are driven by the drive motor of the recording/playbackapparatus to pull open the pull out arm assemblies 71, 72 and topivotably open the shutters 63, 64 of the spool cartridge 50. It shouldbe noted that the UFB spool cartridge of the present invention has beendesigned to be compatible with conventional recording/playbackapparatuses, including, in particular, conventional AIT tape driveapparatuses.

After the pull out arm assemblies 71, 72 and the shutters 63, 64 havebeen fully opened, thereby exposing the tape 10, the linear slidingscanner 30 is moved toward the interior of the spool cartridge 50 viathe drive motor within the UFB recording/playback apparatus until themain tape guides 67, 69 of the spool cartridge 50 are inserted and lockinto main guide locators 73, 75 provided in the base of the linearsliding scanner 30. Such a loading operation brings the head stack 39 ofthe scanner/drum assembly 40 into direct proximity with the exposed tape10, such that the tape 10 now traverses between spool 55 and spool 56 inan irregular path defined in part by the spool 55, the slant guide 66,the main tape guide 67, the scanner/drum assembly 40, the main tapeguide 69, the slant guide 68, and the spool 56.

Once the UFB spool cartridge 50 has been loaded into the UFBrecording/playback apparatus, the pull out arm assemblies 71, 72 andshutters 63, 64 of the spool cartridge body 52 have been fully opened,and the main tape guides 67, 69 of the spool cartridge 50 have beeninserted and locked into the main guide locators 73, 75 of the linearsliding scanner 30, thereby bringing the scanner/drum assembly 40 of thelinear sliding scanner 30 into contact with the tape 10, arecording/playback operation may begin in the helical serpentine mannerdescribed earlier.

Although the principles and modes of operation of this invention havebeen explained and illustrated in preferred embodiments, in accordancewith the provisions of the patent statutes, it must be understood thatthis invention may be practiced otherwise than is specifically explainedand illustrated without departing from its spirit or scope.

1. A recording/playback recording medium, comprising: an elongated,flexible recording/playback medium having a predetermined width and apredetermined length, together defining a recording/playback areacapable of providing a plurality of elongated recording/playback tracks;and information located on at least two tracks, a first track beingrecorded from the beginning of the first track in a first directionuntil the track is filled, a second track being recorded in a secondopposite direction, said tracks being partitioned to define sectorshaving identifiable locations, said first, second, and subsequent tracksif necessary being recorded in a serpentine manner, said informationrecorded on said tracks being recorded by a helical scan.
 2. Therecording/playback recording medium as set forth in claim 1, whereinsaid first track is located at about the longitudinal center of saidflexible medium, said second track is located toward a first odd side ofsaid first track, a third track is located on a side opposite said firsttrack toward a second even side of said first track, and so forth for atotal number of tracks in said area.
 3. A recording/playback medium asset forth in claim 1, further comprising a remote MIC chip foridentifying sectors on said flexible medium for addressing data forrecording and/or playback.
 4. A recording/playback medium as set forthin claim 1, further including means for recording on selected tracks ofsaid medium, said recording means including a recording/playback headstack and means for incrementing said head stack relative to apreselected recording track on said flexible recording medium.
 5. Arecording/playback medium as set forth in claim 4, further includingmeans for recording/playback of helical scan signals on said preselectedrecording track.
 6. A recording/playback medium as set forth in claim 4,further including means capable of recording/playback on any trackbetween edges of said flexible recording medium.
 7. A recording/playbackmedium as set forth in claim 4, further including a linear slidingapparatus having a scanner/drum assembly, said linear sliding apparatusbeing capable of linearly sliding transversely relative to said flexiblerecording medium, and said scanner/drum assembly being capable ofhelical recording on said preselected track.
 8. A recording/playbackmedium as set forth in claim 7, further including a first motive meansfor incrementing said scanner/drum assembly relative to said preselectedtrack, and a second motive means for driving said scanner/drum assemblyfor recording and/or playback.
 9. A method of recording information on arecording/playback medium, comprising the steps of: providing anelongated flexible recording/playback medium having a predeterminedwidth and a predetermined length together defining a recording/playbackarea having a plurality of tracks; recording information on at least twotracks in said area, including the steps of recording on a first trackfrom a beginning of said tape to an end of said tape in a firstdirection, and recording on a second track from an end of said tapetoward the beginning of said tape in a second, opposite direction, saidtracks being partitioned to define sectors having identifiablelocations.
 10. The method as set forth in claim 9, further including astep of performing helical scan recording on preselected tracks.
 11. Themethod as set forth in claim 10, further including a step of selectingan address of said identifiable locations using a remote MIC chip. 12.The method as set forth in claim 9, further including additional stepsof helical scan recording in an additional plurality of tracks on saidflexible recording medium in a serpentine manner.